Unit 3 Flashcards
session of congress (length)
two years
off year election
non-presidential election, minority party normally gains seats
gerrymandering
political district lines that have been drawn to favor one party over the other
house member qualifications
25 years old, citizen for 7 years, resident of state they are elected from
house member term
two years
senate member term
six years
senator qualifications
30 years old, citizen for 9 years, resident of state they are elected from
costituents
eligible voters that elected members represent
(option 1/4) trustee voting
based on merits, not party or constituents
(option 2/4) delegate voting
based on constituents, not individual or party
(option 3/4) partisan voting
based on party
(option 4/4) politico voting
attempt to combine all options
17th amendment
senators used to be chosen by state legislatures but now they are elected at large in their states (direct voting: public votes for candidate)
senate vacancy
filled by government appointment or special election
expressed powers
powers specifically stated
necessary and proper clause
allows congress to create laws that they deem necessary and proper
lower courts
established by congress
war
declared by congress
amendments must be ratified by
3/4 of state legislatures
electoral duties of congress
house can elect the president if no one receives a majority of electoral votes, senate can decide the vice-president
impeachement
house brings charges, senate tries
speaker of the house
most important member, 2nd in line for the presidency
bills are referred to standing committees by
speaker of the house
floor leaders and majority leaders
control the order of business
committee chairmen
do the bulk of committee work, chosen my the majority party
party caucus
meeting of the members of each party in each house, when they pick the floor leaders and committee membership
standing committees in the house
19
standing committees in the senate
17
house rules committee
must grant a rule before a bill can reach the floor, decide whether or not to kill it
rider
a provision not likely to pass is attached to a measure certain to pass
filibuster
attempt to talk a bill to death, even the threat can kill it, only allowed in the senate
public bill
measures applying to the nation as a whole
concurrent resolution
matters which both houses must act jointly and do not have the force of law, often used to state position on a matter
conference committee
measures enacted must be identical in form between the two houses, temporary committee is called to compromise
joint resolution
when they are passed they have the force of law, unusual and temporary
when a bill has gone to the president, they can:
- sign it and make it a law
- veto it and send it back to congress
- let it become a law w/o signing it (happens after 10 days)
- pocket veto: if congress adjourns within 10 days and they haven’t signed it, the measure dies
